AEDC Commander announces 2013 Fellows Published June 3, 2013 By Raquel March AEDC/PA ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. -- Leadership at Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) values the important contributions of its past and present personnel throughout the years and recognizes their accomplishments each year through the AEDC Fellow Program. This year AEDC will induct David Beale and Marvin Sellers as AEDC Fellows at the annual AEDC Fellows Banquet June 25. The AEDC Fellow is recognized for personally making sustained, notable and valuable contributions in aerospace ground testing at AEDC. Ron Polce and retired Maj. Gen. Michael Wiedemer will be inducted as AEDC Lifetime Achievement Fellows recognizing their notable and valuable lifetime contributions to AEDC's mission. David Beale Beale was selected as an AEDC Fellow due to his outstanding technical leadership, technical innovations and project management contributions to the development of ground test techniques for gas turbine engines. He began his AEDC career in 1977 as a project engineer in the von Kármán Gas Dynamics Facility (VKF) Aerodynamics Projects Branch and eventually transitioned into AEDC's aeropropulsion test facility. Beale's technical achievements include development of free-jet test techniques for inlet engine compatibility evaluation, verification of venturi airflow measurement techniques for aeropropulsion performance testing, development of bell-mouth airflow measurement techniques for turbine engine ground test facilities, and development of test techniques for simulating transient total-pressure and swirl inlet distortion in a direct-connect type of turbine engine test cell. Due to Beale's experience in aerodynamic and aeropropulsion test techniques, he embarked on a program to establish long range test requirements, establishing technology requirements and overcoming the free-jet technology gaps. Marvin Sellers Since Sellers' arrival in 1981, he has helped advance state-of-the-art testing techniques in the Propulsion Wind Tunnel (PWT) and the VKF. As a project engineer he is recognized as an AEDC Fellow by demonstrating developmental excellence in many technical areas such as pressure sensitive paint (PSP) test technique, wind tunnel model design, data acquisition and processing, instrumentation and flight systems business development. Sellers also developed the continuous sweep test technique, the boundary layer tripping test technique and automated model trim test technique for AEDC wind tunnels which improved productivity and reduced testing costs. Recognized as an expert in stability and control and pressure loads test techniques, Sellers has been responsible for bringing major test programs to AEDC like the Joint Strike Fighter development program, the Space Shuttle Return to Flight program, Raytheon missile tests, the Global Hawk program and other aircraft and spacecraft programs requiring PSP testing. Ron Polce Polce's AEDC career began in 1974 as a lieutenant. After his assignment ended in 1978 he later returned in 1980 as Chief of the Aeropropulsion Systems Test Facility (ASTF) Systems Activation and Test Office. His AEDC career continued until 2011 when he retired from the Complex. He is recognized as an AEDC Lifetime Achievement Fellow for his contributions in propelling AEDC to become a world class developmental testing facility through his leadership in all aspects of the complex's mission. Polce was instrumental in the successful activation and operation of the ASTF during a nine year period. Later he provided technical direction for the planning, programming, advocacy, design, construction, maintenance, repair and modernization of AEDC's ground test facilities and support infrastructure. His management of mission support services led to high quality support services while reducing support costs by 22 percent over a four year period. Polce's exceptional leadership during his career eventually led to successful testing of numerous weapon systems critical to national defense; a successful 2003 AEDC operating contract competition earning the Secretary of the Air Force Acquisition Excellence Award; reactivation of NASA's decommissioned National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex; and improving and modernizing AEDC's $11 billion complex of Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) facilities. He continues to support AEDC through his involvement with the Arnold Community Council (ACC), an organization which promotes, protects and preserves the complex's mission. Retired Maj. Gen. Michael Wiedemer Wiedemer is recognized as an AEDC Lifetime Achievement Fellow because of his outstanding support to AEDC as an employee, commander, customer, supplier, stakeholder and advocate. Wiedemer has demonstrated his ability to link community, industry, client and government leaders to support AEDC preserving the complex as a national asset. He arrived at AEDC as a captain in 1980 assigned as Chief of the Test Facility Computer, Instrumentation and Engineering Branch. He was later given assignments in Facility Operations and Maintenance Division and the ASTF Automatic Test Control System where he developed comprehensive test unit improvement plans that helped to synergize business and testing processes. He also developed innovative tools and techniques that streamlined decision making in ASTF and significantly reduced risks associated with checkout and edge of test envelope operations. Wiedemer returned in 1995-1997, then a colonel, to serve as AEDC commander where he expanded commercial and university relations with AEDC. He also helped secure commercial investments in the complex, strengthened strategic plans and processes by simplifying goals and metrics and accelerated improvement and modernization projects for PWT, the Engine Test Facility and ASTF. Wiedemer continued his support of AEDC while working with other organizations utilizing the complex's testing capabilities. His support has also been shown by serving as the vice president, president and board member of the ACC. The Fellows program was established in 1989 and recognizes AEDC individuals who have made exceptionally distinguished and substantial contributions to the nation's aerospace ground testing capability at the Complex. Candidates considered for selection as an AEDC Fellow, an AEDC Craftsmen Fellow, AEDC Lifetime Achievement Fellow or AEDC Honorary Fellow are current or retired military, civilian and operating contractor and subcontractor personnel assigned or previously assigned to AEDC. The banquet will be held at the Arnold Lakeside Center. To attend the banquet, call 454-6505.